Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-02-25

still disinclined to relieve her pro ten. sub
stitute. MI. Lenox was there, but Mr..
Phillips came not. And, strangely enough,
Mrs. Forsythe Daveney was late. / could
only surmise some sudden illness Of my
poor friend. But we were NIL very much
discomposed, for Mrs. Dayeney was the
moving spirit.
An hour had passed. when n messenger
arrived with a note for me, and 1 was
presently enabled 10 relieve the anxiety of
the others, by reading aloud:
"DEAR Fn1END-Have just received q tele-
gram from Cambridge, sunllnoning me to n
friends death-bed. AS there is a legacy in
volved as we'll as the tendcrest feeling, I must
20 at once. Tell the ladies l could say no more
ut present. Hope you will have a pleasant
meeting. faithfully,
CLARA DAvENEY.r
"Postscript-1m may not return home until TO-
morrow"
The postscript 1 did not read aloud as it
was evidently intended for only myself.
Somebody moved an adjournment until
two days later. I. seconded feebly. Mr..
Lenox looked disturbed and hurried out.
The apartment seemed a lonely place
that evening without Mrs. Daveney. 1
retired early.
The next day I rose late. breakfasted
alone, and readthe paper. 1t rained SO L
remained at home.
But Mrs. Daveney did not return.
"Oh dear!" l grumbled. Another
lonely night"
Dinner time came. I dined solitaire.
servant.
Another morning dawned. I dawdled
away the hours until TIVE, when 1 set off for
the meeting, leaving word with the maid
and q note in my friends mirror.
"Is it possible Mrs. Daveney has not re-
have had no messenger"
"It is very singular" said the Secretary.
Finally all had arrived-all cave two,
Mr.. Phillips and Mrs. Daveney.
at would have been the merest courtesy"
began Mrs. Barring, when in rushed Mr..
Lenox, white us a ghost.
Ladies'" he cried, tragically, "the worst
has come! Mrs. Daveney is a humbug In
embezzler. She has taken our money, our
securities, and fed the town. MIR. Phillips
has also gone"
Mrs. Allardyce shrieked and swooned.
"Phillips!" cried Mrs. Barring. "Iutter
wouldn't melt in his mouth"
l went up to Lenox and touched his ara.
"lsn't there some awful mistaken"
"None whatever"
felt as if he had struck me on the head
with something very heavy.
"For heavens sake explain!!" cried the
ladies, one after another, and pressed
closely about him.
Canada" said Mr.. Lenox, concisely.
"They have had nearly three days. I have
no doubt she is his wife,"
ellis wife!" the ladies chorused.
90 yes, it is SO, I am sure"
"But," 1 said. argumentativcly in my
dazed condition, "she couldn't, you know.
Really she couldn't go away and leave oil
her things and her apartment and her
| servant"
"Bah!" said Lenox, with scornful impa-
tience. "Mortgaged everything every:
Ming.!" Then he went on more mildly:
II had my doubts about that Cambridge
telegram, but I hated to interfere. This
morning, however, 1 discovered-no matter
how-that she had drawn our funds from
the bank. ! rushed at nce 10 see what I
could find out, but it was too late to do
anything. II knew Clara Daveney was
a selfish woman, but 1 didn't suppose her
"a thief. I knew she was false and
heartless. Indeed, I knew her quite we'll
a few years ago. I happened to be en-
gagged to her, and she Tilted me most un-
feelingly."
Good heavens!" cried Mr.. Allardyce,
and left Off tanning his wife to come to
Lenox's side. But the latter bowed and
hastily made his exit.
"What an escaped" cried Mrs. Barring,
who had not paid up her subscription.
Mr.. Allardyce looked at me compassion
ately.
you have my sympathy, Miss Black
ford, " he remarked. ut must be cruel to
find your idol turn to clay"
tAh" AAoIIcboIfs hIo
say l shall survive. Only-the money is
gone. And it would have been better for
me had l bought those diamonds"
"Ah?" he said, as if he thought my brain
was turned by the catastrophe. Then he
SHE'D off again.
1 sat down. The atmosphere became
noisy with excited conversation. Mrs.
Allardyce sobbed mildly. All at once she
paused and cried out distinctly:
II never did like that Phillips. He
colored his whiskers!"
There was a little laugh. Then m
body. estimated Mrs. Daveney's theft at
about ten OF twelve thousand. That was
all.
Then some n spoke my name.
"Strange, not to have observed" they
said. young and inexperienced"
Presently l realized that they meant me.
Nobody, however, offered me consolation.
left the house quickly and returned TO
Mrs. Daveney's apartment.
Everything had a clean and comfortable
aspect. Tried her wardrobe doors. They
swung open. Every garment was gone.
Nothing but empty hooks.
The printed prospectus of the new mag
1 uSsN V~yv zee - h@-o